Imagine asking the dustman to cart off 1000 trucks jam packed with stinking, rotten rubbish. Sadly, that is the problem our environment faces every day. Several thousand tonnes of waste is dumped daily and that includes a staggering millions of plastic bags, enough to fill loads of trucks. Some of the waste like sewage, finds its way into the ponds, lakes, rivers and seas polluting the waters and killing marine life.
But the damage doesn't end there. Rotting waste releases harmful gases into the air which threaten everyone's health. Something has to be done. Everyone has a part to play, including you. The purpose behind our efforts at www.indiabuildinginfo.com is to show , how we can save the environment and save money at the same time.
Try your best to follow the advice listed below and encourage your friends and family to do the same. If everyone plays their part, we can all join together to save the environment and look forward to a happier, healthier and cleaner future.
CUT YOUR ELECTRICITY BILLS
SAVE ON WATER BILLS
SAVE ON TRAVELLING COSTS
CUT DOWN ON UNNECESSARY WASTE
YOUR CHOICE WHEN SHOPPING
CUT YOUR ELECTRICITY BILLS
1. Make sure you turn off all lights and electrical appliances like air-conditioners and heaters when you are not using them.
2. Use energy efficient appliances, they are cheaper in the long run.
3. Use automatic timers to control appliances to avoid wasting energy.
Lighting
4. Use the minimum number of lights.
5. Use energy-saving bulbs which are cooler, like halogen bulbs, fluorescent tubes and energy efficient compact fluorescent (CF) bulbs rather than the conventional incandescent bulbs. The CF bulbs give off a warm, bright light but use 75% less energy and last up to ten times longer than the conventional incandescent bulbs.
6. Keep bulbs and fittings clean for maximum brightness and reflectiveness.
7. Use low-wattage bulbs in areas where bright light is not necessary.
Air-conditioning
8. Avoid installing your air-conditioner in direct sunlight which could neutralize the cooling effect.
9. Seal the gaps around doors and windows and keep them closed when air-conditioners are in use.
10. Draw curtains or blinds to keep the sunlight out.
11. Avoid blocking the input and output air vents of your air-conditioner. Pre-set it to 25oC which is a comfortable energy efficient temperature. For every one degree Celsius cooler you set the temperature, your power consumption will increase by 10%.
12. At night, set your air-conditioner to "low cool" and use the timer to switch it off about one hour before you wake up.
13. During summer, clean your air-conditioner at least once a month to ensure it works efficiently.
Refrigerator
14. Select a fridge size best suited to your family's needs. For a family of three to four, 140 to 170 litres is normally suitable.
15. Ensure the door seal is completely air tight and make sure the door is not left open when the fridge is not in use.
16. The food section is best kept at a constant temperature of 3oC and the freezer compartment at 0oC. Every degree lower means a 5% increase in running costs.
17. Make sure your fridge is in a cool place away from direct sunlight, an oven or other sources of heat.
18. Always keep the cooling coils at the back of the fridge clean.
19. Allow hot food to cool before placing it in the fridge.
20. Don't over-crowd your fridge's shelves, allow cool air to circulate freely.
Heaters
21. In winter, reduce the need for heaters by making the best possible use of sunlight.
22. Ensure doors and windows are closed and gaps are properly sealed. Thick curtains reduce heat loss.
23. For savings and safety's sake, turn off all heaters about 30 minutes before going out.
Washing Machines and Tumble Dryers
24. Wait until you have a full load of washing to save electricity and water.
25. Use cold or mild water for washing and rinsing.
26. Dry your clothes in the sunshine and fresh air whenever possible.
27. Reduce dry-cleaning.
Save on Gas
28. Always maintain your gas cooking utensils. It's a good idea to get a check-up every six months to make sure everything is burning efficiently.
29. Using microwave ovens and slow cookers can cut your fuel costs by up to 70%.
Burner
30. Adjust the flame of the burner to hit bottom of pan. Fuel is wasted if flames leap up the side of the pan. Food cooks faster if it is put nearer the burner or grill.
31. Cover pots or saucepans to retain heat when cooking. It reduces cooking time and saves fuel costs by as much as four times.
32. Use the simmer burner rather than the oven to re-heat food and casseroles.
33. Do not put more water in kettles or pans than you need.
Oven and Grill
34. Plan your menu to make full use of your oven space. For example, when roasting or baking, use the lower area for cooking rice pudding, fruit pies or sausages.
35. Use the grill to its full capacity. It is cheaper to toast several slices of toast at a time rather then separately.
Electrical or Gas Water Heater
36. Take a shower instead of a bath. It can save two and a half times the amount of water and fuel.
37. When hot water is not in use, switch off the pilot light.
SAVE ON WATER BILLS
38. Replace or repair loose seals on your toilet and taps promptly. Ten drips per minute wastes about 3,000 litres of water a year.
Water
39. Remember to turn off all taps when you leave home.
40. Use a container for washing, brushing your teeth or shaving. It can save more fuel and water than rinsing in running water. You can save up to 5 litres of water each time.
41. Don't wash clothes or vegetables under running taps.
42. Do not use an excessive quantity of detergent when washing clothes or household utilities as more water is needed for rinsing them off.
43. Water your plants only when necessary.
44. Change fish tank water only when necessary. Use a better filtering system to maintain water quality.
Toilet
45. Do not flush unnecessarily. 11 litres of water are used every time you flush the toilet. A large family may waste up to 100 litres every day.
46. Adjust the flushing water of your cistern to a minimum required level.
SAVE ON TRAVELLING COSTS
47. Plan your transport route well before you travel either locally or overseas.
48. Avoid the rush hour or busy period.
49. Use public transport. Walk or ride a bicycle whenever you can.
50. Try to form a car pool when travelling with your friends or colleagues.
51. Buy energy efficient automobiles.
52. Use unleaded petrol together with a catalytic converter in your car to reduce air pollution.
53. Keep your car properly maintained.
54. Keep your car properly tuned. An inefficient car greatly increases fuel costs and pollutes the environment.
55. Mind your driving habits. Avoid sudden acceleration as it will increase fuel consumption.
CUT DOWN ON UNNECESSARY WASTE
56. Use less paper.
57. Reduce the use of over-bleached tissue paper which may contain dioxins.
58. Use handkerchiefs rather than paper napkins.
59
. Cut down on gift wrapping paper.
60. Separate waste paper at home and in office for paper recycling.
61. Use less plastic bags and use durable bags or baskets. Plastic bags take years to decompose.
62. Send any unwanted toys and clothing to charity groups or the needy instead of throwing them away.
63. Encourage children to keep their old exercise books for paper recycling.
64. Return coat hangers to cleaners.
65. Encourage the use of reusable dishes and utensils in fast food shops.
66. Minimize the number of document copies.
67. Use blank side of used paper to make note pads.
68. Reuse envelopes.
69
. Use pencils for drafting rather than ball pens.
70. Use less glue which contains benzene and ethyl acetate. Alternatively, use clips or pins.
71. Use less correction fluids which contain the ozone depleting l.l.l-trichleraser if possible.
72. Reduce the use of fluorescent pens. You can always underline your text.
73. Bring your own mug to office. Avoid using paper cups.
YOUR CHOICE WHEN SHOPPING
74. Always prepare a shopping list before buying.
75. Introduce bulk purchases or use family-sized products as it generally reduces costs.
76. Choose the products with the least packaging. It means less garbage, less wastage of energy and resources and savings for you.
77. Cut down on take-away food which consumes more disposable packaging.
78. Buy drinks in returnable bottles.
79
. Avoid plastic-coated drink boxes which cannot be recycled.
80. Use brown bread to replace white bread as they are more nutritious.
81. Use durable utensils instead of disposable foam-blow plastic containers, polystyrene utensils and paper cups.
82. Use ant or roach traps, not fluorocarbon sprays.
83. Avoid using household insecticides or pesticides which are also harmful to us, especially children.
84. Make an all-purpose cleaner. A simple solution of vinegar and baking soda is very effective.
85. Minimize using products such as aerosol sprays containing CFCs, an ozone depleting substance.
86. Use cloth rather than disposable diapers.
87. Use rechargeable batteries.
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